Vibrationary exercise equipment

ABSTRACT

A muscle training apparatus arranged for cyclic concentric and eccentric loading phases including load imposition means arranged for a user to exercise against load variation means arranged for varying the load as between concentric and eccentric loading phases, a vibrator operational to apply vibration between the user and the load, a controller operational to control the vibrator and to vary the extent of vibration as between concentric and eccentric phases.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/733,271filed Apr. 10, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 10/507,150 filed Mar. 12, 2003, which are both incorporated intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to exercise equipment and is particularlyconcerned with such sports, exercise, wellbeing and medical training andtherapeutic equipment having the facility to combine vibration withmechanical loading on the muscles and bone structure of users.

The use of vibration in the context of strength training (where theexpression strength training is being used herein to describe anyexercise facility in which a load is applied to muscles of a user)induces a non-voluntary muscular contraction called the “tonic vibrationreflex”. Weight training with additional vibration has been shown toaugment strength and power over and above that achieved with strengthtraining alone. This effect is achieved through the recruitment ofadditional muscle fibres above the normal recruitment level. Vibrationhas also become a common tool used in the retardation of muscle and boneatrophy on earth and in space.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Currently commercially available weight training devices rely either onun-modulated loads or full body vibration. These devices apply novibrational loading at all, or fail to apply directly specificfrequencies to targeted muscle groups. Some such full-body vibrationsystems can also quickly lead to discomfort and other negative physicalside effects.

A publication in Journal of Sport Sciences 1999, 17, 177-182 disclosesthe effect of vibrationary stimulation on bilateral biceps curlexercises. According to this publication the superimposed vibrationduring the exercise was transmitted to the muscles by a speciallydesigned vibratory stimulation device. This consisted of an electricmotor with a speed reduction facility and eccentric wheel. The load washeld by a cable passed through the eccentric wheel via pulleys. Theeccentric rotation elicited peak-to-peak oscillations of 3 mm with afrequency of 44 Hz. After vibration damping caused by cabletransmission, the acceleration on the handle was about 30 m/s⁻² (RMS).Vibration from the two-arms handle was transmitted through thecontacting muscles involved in the pulling action.

A particular disadvantage associated with the use of vibration which isdirectly electrically generated is the difficulty of applying thevibration directly to the user throughout the various configurations ofthe equipment. There is a mismatch between the mechanical and electricaloperation which impedes obtaining maximum benefit from the applicationof vibration. Moreover non-smooth contraction of muscle has beenobserved in weight training equipment utilizing electric motor drivenvibration devices.

We have now devised an improved apparatus for enabling vibration to betransmitted to a person exercising.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to the present invention an exercise apparatus comprises afluid pump means operated by movement of the user and control meansarranged for intermittently varying fluid flow in the pump means therebyto impart vibration to the user.

A vibration frequency to provide benefit may be from 1 Hz to 100 Hz,preferably from 10 Hz to 35 Hz. Where this is obtained in a rotary oroscillating, eg solenoid, valve, closure of the valve every 0.1 to 0.3seconds for a period which may be 50%, but could be more or less of thetime, ie 0.05 to 0.015 seconds the user will experience for a very shortperiod an increase in resistance superimposed on that of the real orsimulated weight.

According to a feature of the invention the fluid pump means may alsoincorporate static resistance means whereby the fluid pump imposes theload as well as the vibration on the user.

Advantageously the exercise apparatus may comprise a piston cylinderarrangement whereby tension and compression are effected as between thepiston, via a connecting rod, and the cylinder. Then a fluid circuitconnected to the interior of the cylinder on both sides of the pistoncan be arranged to carry the vibration facility.

By this means the exercise apparatus can readily be arranged to load theuser in both directions, push and pull, compression and tension. It canbe made relatively compact so as to be portable for use in one hand orbetween a user's two hands for arm strengthening and “chest expanding”,although arrangements for such operation between other parts of theanatomy are also readily possible.

The static load can be realized in a restrictor or pressure relief valvemeans, which are advantageously adjustable to provide different loadsand equipped with an indicator of the load being applied. By use of anon-return valve for example the load can be arranged to differ asbetween the two directions, while a control cock arranged to block oropen the non-return valve can be employed to convert the apparatusbetween uni-directional and bi-directional strength training.

A perhaps non-adjustable part (or whole) of the resistance to motion canbe obtained in a bleed through the piston, with differential load beingobtained via a non-return valve and or a pressure relief valve also ifnecessary located in the piston The vibration can readily be arranged todiffer as between push and pull as well.

The fluid may be a gas such as air or nitrogen or a liquid such as anhydraulic liquid. If, in the case of a liquid, damping of the vibrationis desired and is not achievable by padding with, for example, foam, orby employing a viscous liquid as the medium, a gas cushion or valvedevice may be incorporated to achieve this.

Where gas is employed, it has been found that compressing the gas to apressure of 4.5 bar creates an effective transmission of reactive forcewithout excessive damping. Pressures from 2.5 bar up to 4.5 bar provideprogressively less damping action and thus the absolute pressure towhich the system is primed can be used to effect the maximum reactiveforce generated and the damping characteristic of the vibration effectfelt by the user.

According to another feature of the invention the fluid pump means maybe interposed between an operating bar arranged to be pushed and/orpulled by a user, and a base, which may be a static part of theapparatus. It is preferable for the fluid pump means to be linked to theoperating bar substantially directly to avoid losses and unwanteddamping of the vibration. Such a fluid pump vibration means can readilybe constructed as a retrofit to an existing weight training equipment.

The vibration may be generated in the fluid pump means by a motorisedvalve incorporated therein. The valve may be a solenoid valve, diaphragmvalve or a rotary valve inter alia.

In the case of a solenoid valve of the type constructed to operate withfluid flow in only one direction a bridge configuration may be employed.Often also solenoid valves have limited flow rate capacity for a givenreasonable power or a high flow resistance. The employment of an arrayof such valves in parallel to overcome this can confer a particularlysignificant advantage, discussed below, that of applying randomvibration.

It is often desirable to employ vibration only when lifting a weight orin a single direction of motion of the equipment and this apparatus inaccordance with the invention can readily be arranged for this to occur.Where solenoid valves are used the preferred unpowered valve status isOPEN such that until powered the solenoid valve will allow free passageof fluid.

A preferred solenoid valve is the Festo™ low latency solenoid valve typeMHE2-S with a 2 ms (two microsecond) latency and employing internalelectronics to permit fast switching.

If one or more rotary valves are used instead of solenoid valves, thesecan be readily be driven by one or more electric motors, which may be ACor DC and brush, induction or homopolar motors. Ideally the motoroperation is so controlled that speed or speeds can be set selected andcontrolled to an accuracy of 10%, preferably 1%.

A yet alternative motor is a stepper motor employing electroniccommutation and multiple poles such as 2 pole, 4 pole, or 5 pole fixedcoil arrangements and multiple poles on the rotor. This enables half- ormicro stepping, allowing for example 200 micro steps per revolution of1.8° per step. The rate of revolution can be set by a hardware orsoftware clock signal applied to selected coils by a dedicatedintegrated circuit or discrete electronic hardware control circuits.This makes a stepper motor particularly suitable in contexts where avariety of valve speeds is desired. When operating a stepper motor therate of coil or coil-pair-energization and thus rotary speed iscontrolled by the rate of application of electronic signals. As the rateof energization may be varied to produce a range of speeds, and thespecific poles selected with respect to their disposition around therotor is also selectable, there is a measure of control available thatallows the angular speed to vary within less than one revolution persecond. Thus random or pseudo random variability in valve opening andclosing times may be effected through control of the stepper motor coilenergization order and speed.

As has been indicated above, it is particularly advantageous for theapplied vibration to be arranged for random or even pseudo randomamplitude and frequency. The effect on muscle development of such anarrangement is particularly marked. By pseudo random is meant a cycle ofvariation long enough to be substantially unpredictable to the user.Pseudo random variation can be obtained using two motorised valves,solenoid or rotary inter alia, in parallel in the fluid flow circuit,and arranged to operate at different speeds. Thus the combinedresistance created varies over time as valve open and closed times moveinto and out of synchronicity.

The rotary motor driven valve itself may be an offset valve of the typedisclosed in PCT Patent Application PCT/GB2006/050314 and UK PatentApplication 0520195.9. This valve comprises (i) a housing containing afluid flow path with a central axis, (ii) a plug having a sealing facecooperating with said housing in the closed position to block the fluidpath, and (iii) a support shaft arranged to carry said plug means andbeing rotatable on an axis which is normal to and spaced from the axisof said valve seat and located outside of the flow path so that rotationof the said shaft moves said plug means relative to said housing. Theshape of the vibration pulse obtained with such a rotary valve willdepend upon the nature of the valve core offset and the shape and sizeof the core recess.

Advantages of a valve of this kind are that (1) when fully open there isno occlusion of the opening, and (2) the valve opens and closes onlyonce per revolution. This latter reduces or obviates the gearing whichmight otherwise be required when employing a motor the normal speed ofwhich would otherwise impose too high a vibration frequency.

Whatever the type of valve employed, when a liquid rather than a gas isemployed as the fluid, it may be advantageous to permit a smallthroughput of fluid even when the valve is ostensibly closed. With arotary valve this may be achieved with an appropriate passage throughthe obturator or a groove therearound.

Many weight training equipments carry some form of dampening structureto provide user comfort, particularly those equipments which bear uponthe user's shins for example. Normally this might comprise a plasticsfoam, particularly one which under the influence of body warmth andpressure distorts to mould itself to the profile of that part of thebody applying the force. It would be expected that the use of such foamswould largely attenuate the transmission of vibrations. HoweverConforfoam™ type “CF-47 green” produced by E.A.R. Speciality Compositeshas been found to have good vibration transmission characteristicswithout compromising comfort.

It may in fact be advantageous, not least from the point of view ofsimplicity of retrofit or upgrade assembly, when employing a foam havinggood vibration transmission characteristics, to locate a vibrationgenerating device within the operating arm of an exercise machine,including within the foam itself.

There is some evidence to suggest that random direction vibration may becounter-productive to the efficacy of vibrated training and thatapplying the vibration in the direction of muscle stress yields thebetter results with reduced fatigue and reduced potential nausea. Alinear vibration mechanism can be achieved using a fluid circuit asherein described though retrofit in the arm or foam can be simpler if anelectric motor is used to generate the vibration. The motor may bearranged to drive a crank coupled through a connecting rod to acrosshead to which is attached a relatively large mass, the crossheadbeing constrained by guide bars to shuttle linearly. Other mechanismsfor translating rotary motion to linear may of course be used.

A typical application of this embodiment of the invention is in aleg-extension training apparatus. An arm pivoted at a point coincidingwith the user's knee joints is, in this application, associated withtraining weights and carries a padded bar arranged for bearing low onthe legs of the user, a linear vibration device being located within orinside the padding and arranged so that in operation the vibration is inthe same direction as the force applied to lift the weight.

By employing motorised variable flow resistance control valves inconjunction with microprocessor based controllers the equipment may bearranged to read smart cards, swipe cards or other data entry meansincluding keypads, touch screens, voice control or wirelessly linkeddata transfer using RFID or other technologies. In this way theapparatus may be adjusted to suit an individual user's training andphysiological characteristics and specified programme, according to realtime software algorithms, look up tables or other rules orpre-programmed sequences.

It may be desired to incorporate readout devices for indicating theweight and/or vibration applied and the amplitude of apparatus expansionor compression. To those skilled in the art there are many ways ofdetecting the position and direction of motion of parts of strengthtraining apparatus in accordance with the invention, includingmicroswitches, electrically resistive means, capacitive and inductivesensors, opto-electronic devices, Hall Effect magnetic devices, reedswitches or other similar components which may be read sequentially orincrementally by interaction with moving parts of the equipment.Electronic means including simple circuit arrangements creatingsequential state machines or more sophisticated arrangements includingstored memory devices such as RAM or other temporary storage means maybe used, preferably with a microprocessor to control the recording orprocessing of information about the order of events such that thisinformation may be used to switch the vibration inducing solenoid OPENfor a particular part of the cycle of operation or control otherfeatures of the performance, such as mark-space ratio or if the weightsimulating valves are motorised the balance between vibrated andbackground resistance generated by the apparatus or other parameterthereof. In this case the electronic means of control can be arranged toapply selectively the vibration resistance to the user and control thelevel and timing of all resistive elements of the load application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention attached to anexercise machine;

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is one disc used in a different embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a second disc;

FIG. 5 shows the discs of FIGS. 2 and 3 in position;

FIG. 6 shows a breathing apparatus using the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a hydraulic damping system applied to a weight machine;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a simple “stand alone” two-wayvibrationary muscle training device;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a simple “stand alone” one-wayvibrationary muscle training device;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a closed circuit vibration device forfitment in a weight training apparatus and pneumatic solenoid valveoperated;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a closed circuit vibration device forfitment in a weight training apparatus and having hydraulic and by-passvalves;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a closed circuit vibration deviceoperated by a motorised rotary valve;

FIG. 13 depicts a cutaway valve core used in an offset rotary valvearranged for one closure per revolution;

FIG. 14 is a schematic section of a rotary valve having a core as shownin FIG. 6;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of the fitment of a closed circuitvibration device to a weight training apparatus;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a closed circuit vibration device havingtwo rotary motorised valves in parallel, for inducing pseudo-randomvibration;

FIG. 17 shows a parallel valve Magnitude vs Frequency spectrum;

FIG. 18 shows a parallel valve configuration waveform;

FIG. 19 shows a full bridge fluid circuit for permitting uni-directionalflow of fluid regardless of piston direction;

FIG. 20 is a power amplifier circuit for driving a 24v solenoid valvefrom a 5v control signal;

FIG. 21 is a graph of a simple control signal employed in switching asolenoid valve and the latency of valve operation;

FIG. 22 is a schematic cross section of a padded vibration arm with arotary eccentric bob-weight;

FIG. 23 is a schematic view of a linear vibration device showing acrank, a connecting rod, a crosshead and guide bars;

FIG. 24 is a diagram of a linear vibration device added to a legextension machine;

FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating a swipe card information entrysystem;

FIG. 26 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention withpiston located valves and mounted in weight training apparatus;

FIG. 27 is a schematic view of a stand alone embodiment of the inventionwith piston located valves;

FIG. 28 is a schematic view of a variable vibration embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram of a one way vibration embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram of an incrementally loaded embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram of a variably incrementally loadedembodiment;

FIG. 32 is a diagram with a further development, taking as its startingpoint the system illustrated in FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a diagram of a system in which the actual weights is replacedby a compressible system, particularly a gas system; and

FIG. 34 is also a diagram of a system in which the actual weights isreplaced by a compressible system, particularly a gas system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a belt (1) is connected at one end to theweights lifted by the user and the other end is attached to the handgrips moved by the user. A roller (2) has rubber pads (3) positionedaround its circumference. Roller (4) is positioned so that the band (1)is gripped between rollers (2) and (4). In use, as the user pulls on theweights, the band moves and causes the rollers (2) and (4) to rotate. Asthe band passes over the pads (3) a vibration is given to the band whichvibration is passed onto the user via the hand grips. This vibrationacts on the muscles being exercised and the frequency of vibration canbe controlled by the number of pads (3).

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 a first disc (5) has two holes (6) in itand a second disc (7) has holes (8) of varying size in it. The two discsare located on a common axis and the disc (5) is connected to a motor.As the disc (5) is rotated by the motor, the holes (8) are periodicallycoincident with the holes (6).

Referring to FIG. 6, the discs are mounted in a chamber (11) with an airconduit (10) passing through it with one end connected to mouthpiece(9). The air conduit is positioned so that it connects to a hole (8) andso, as one of the holes (6) is coincident with the hole (8) a continuousair passage is formed and, as the hole (6) moves out of coincidence,there is an interruption to the air supply and this periodicinterruption causes a vibration effect in the breathing muscles of theuser. The rate of flow of the air to the user can be controlled by thesize of the hole (8) used and the frequency of vibration controlled bythe speed of rotation of the disc (5).

Referring to FIG. 7 a weight lifting machine comprises a fixed framework(21), a sliding member (22) and attached adjustable weight (23) whichmay slide up and down guide rails (24) when a person pulls on cable (25)which is guided over pulley (26), being connected to the sliding member(22) and weight (23). The sliding member (22) is attached to a piston(27) which is located in a cylinder (28).

When cable (25) is pulled, the sliding member (22) with attached weight(23) is moved upwards against gravity providing a working load to theuser's muscles, the piston (27) displacing air in cylinder (28) outthrough port (29). The air displacement is checked by a control valve(30) which is driven on and off at the desired frequency by a controller(32), causing the air flow to be intermittently interrupted beforerelease to atmosphere via port (31). The switched air-flow checkingaction of control valve (30) provides a time variant damping load overand above that provided by the lifted weight (33), translating vibrationinto the operator's muscles employed in the lifting action.

The embodiments depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9 are stand alone vibrationarymuscle training devices which may be used for example between the twohands or, with suitable means for attachment to the limbs, between anytwo limbs or even between a limb and another part of the body, orbetween one part and another of a jointed limb.

Thus, FIGS. 8 and 9 show a piston 100, connecting rod 101 and cylinder102 arrangement wherein the left hand end of the cylinder 102 isarranged for association with one limb of a user, for example, and theconnecting rod 101 is arranged for association with another of theuser's limbs. A bypass conduit 103 from the cylinder at both sides ofthe piston has, in the case of the FIG. 8 embodiment, two parallelsections, the first incorporating a controllable valve 104 and thesecond a controllable valve 105 and a solenoid valve 106. The solenoidvalve 106 is arranged for being pulsed open and closed at one or moredesired frequencies while the valve 105 is arranged to control theamount of fluid passing through the solenoid valve 106. The section withthe valve 104 has the function of applying the main resistive force inthe apparatus and the valve 104 is adjustable to vary this force. Byadjusting both valves 104, 105 a ratio of main resistance to pulsedresistance can be varied.

The FIG. 9 embodiment has a uni-directional, or non-return valve 107, inparallel with the other two parallel sections. This permits freemovement of the piston 100 in one direction for situations wherestrength training is only required in the one direction.

FIGS. 10 to 14 relate particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, toa vibration device adapted for fitment to a strength training apparatus,in particular a weight training apparatus, perhaps by retrofit.

In FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 there is a piston 200, connecting rod 201, andcylinder 202 arrangement. A bypass conduit 203 from the cylinder 202 atboth sides of the piston 200 has, in the case of the FIG. 3 embodiment,a solenoid valve 204. The function of the solenoid valve 204 is, byrapid cyclic opening and closing, to impart vibration to the fluid inthe cylinder. The solenoid valve 204 is accordingly arranged for beingpulsed open and closed at one or more desired frequencies.

The FIG. 11 embodiment has, as well as the solenoid valve 204 forimparting vibration, a variable opening valve 205 for effecting controlover the resistance experienced.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10 is particularly suited for usewith a gas such as air or nitrogen, where no additional damping might berequired. The gas is pressurized to 4.5 bar. This is sufficient toprevent excessive damping.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11 is particularly suited for usewith an hydraulic liquid. As damping is apt to be required when a liquidis used, the variable opening valve 205 caters for this.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12 has a rotary valve 210 in place ofthe solenoid valve 204. An electric motor and any necessary gearbox 211drives a valve core with a cut-away permitting selective passage offluid depending on the relative angle of the core with respect to thefluid flow ports. The rotational speed of the valve core sets thederived frequency of the vibration. The electric motor is of thevariable speed variety.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a particular form of a valve 210 for whichthe rotational speed equates to the vibration frequency. The valve has acylindrical core 212 which has a recess 212 a and is offset to a bore213 of the valve so that when the recess 212 a is presented to the fluidflow bore 213, fluid passes freely through the bore 213. This valve isof the type disclosed in PCT Patent Application PCT/GB2006/050314 and UKPatent Application 0520195.9.

In a variation to the valve 210 particularly useful where the fluid is aliquid, the core 212 shown in FIG. 6 has a circumferential groove,illustrated by dotted lines 214. This has the function of dampening thevibration and rendering it less harsh to the user.

The devices shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are adapted for fitment betweenthe static frame 300 and the user operated part 301 of a typicalstrength training apparatus as shown in FIG. 8. The actual device shownis a weight training device where the user operated lever arm 301 ispivotally attached to the frame 300. A wire 302 attached at one end tothe arm 301 distal from the pivot point passes over a frame mountedpulley 303 and is attached at its other end to a variable weight block304.

FIG. 16 depicts a pseudo random vibration apparatus. A fluid conduit 220connected into the cylinder 202 at both ends thereof has two parallelcircuit arms 221, 222 in each of which is a rotary valve 223, 224 drivenby a variable motor 225, 226. The speeds of the motors 225, 226 arecontrolled by a controller 227 adopted to control the base speeds of thetwo motors in accordance with a desired vibration variation.

FIG. 17 is a graph of a typical pseudo random vibration variationachieved with the apparatus described with reference to FIG. 16 when thetwo valves 223, 224 are run at different rotational speeds. The graphrepresents the Magnitude vs Frequency spectrum experienced when thesetwo rotational speeds are quite close and as shown is typical of thesituation which arises whenever the ratio of frequencies is low.

FIG. 18 translates the graph of FIG. 10 into a waveform of flowamplitudes vs time.

The fluid circuitry illustrated in FIG. 19 has a plurality of solenoidvalves 250 in parallel in a one-way valve 251 bridge circuit associatedwith a fluid conduit 203. Primarily this circuitry ensures thatvibration is only applied in one direction, the direction of pressure,and is absent during the relaxation movement. The employment of aplurality of solenoid valves 250 in this way enables amplitude andrandomness of vibration to be controlled. The circuit includes a fluidcharging/pressurising valve 252.

FIG. 20 shows a typical solenoid valve drive circuit permitting a TTL 0to 5v DC signal to drive a 24v DC solenoid valve with catch or flywheeldiode to prevent a back emf from the inductive solenoid coil fromdamaging the transistor.

Referring to FIG. 21, as a solenoid valve takes time to operate, due tothe mass of the valve plug and the inductive nature of the drive coilthere is a delay, often called latency, which limits the maximum speedat which the valve can operate. In many fast solenoid valves the latencyis in the range 2 mS (two microseconds) to 4 mS. In such cases to turnON and OFF and complete one cycle the fastest theoretical on-off cycleor period will be in the range 4 mS to 8 mS, giving a maximum frequencyof 250 Hz to 125 Hz respectively. In practice there are other delays inreversing the field in a solenoid coil, and damping constraints, thatlimit the maximum frequency of operation to 50 Hz. Under load this maydrop to 25 Hz. If higher speeds are required without resort tospecialised solenoid valves, then the motorised rotary valves alsodiscussed above may be employed.

FIG. 22 shows a cross section of a bar or lever 400 in a strengthtraining device subject to vibration in accordance with the invention.The bar or lever 400 is surrounded by a closed cell foam 401 supportingan outer tube 402 which is in turn covered by a foam pad 403. The foampad 403 is formed of Conforfoam™ type CF-47 green. This foam, whilstconforming to the local shape of, say, the user's lower shins, isparticularly capable of transmitting vibration without significantlydamping it.

In the particular case shown in FIG. 22, a vibration device is attachedto the interior of the outer tube 402 in a recess in the foam 401. Thevibration device comprises a bob-weight 410 associated with an electricmotor 411.

The linearity of this vibration, constrained for alignment with thedirection of the user's muscle strengthening procedure, is obtained witha device as depicted in FIG. 22. An electric motor driven crank 420 inturn drives a connecting rod 421 linked to a crosshead 422 constrainedfor reciprocal linear motion by guide bars 423.

The tube 402 may be formed of a metal such as an aluminium alloy and thefoam 401 may be a sponge rubber or a “sorbo rubber”.

In a modification of the device illustrated in FIG. 22 the configurationof the vibration device is adjustable so that the vibration directioncan be regulated.

Application of the devices illustrated with reference to FIGS. 22 and 23to a leg muscle strengthening apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 24. Thisshows a lever 430 associated with an adjustable weight block 431 andarranged to pivot around a point 432 adjacent a user's knees. The lever430 carries an arm disposed for contact with a lower region of a user'sshins, the arm being as described with reference to FIG. 22. Thevibration device illustrated in FIGS. 22, 23 is arranged to vibratelinearly along the arrowed line 433 in FIG. 24. It is also adjustable sothat the vibration direction can be regulated. FIG. 25 is a blockdiagram illustrating a microprocessor based control system for the entryof a user's programme and accordingly the control of loading andvibration. Alternative or complementary inputs, in the form of a swipecard entry unit and a keypad entry unit enable the user to input hisindividual programme and to vary it if desired. A USB entry/save toexternal device unit provides to the user both an indication of hisprogress with the apparatus and any required modification to the swipecard or user programme store.

The microprocessor is configured to control the valves and read anysensors on the apparatus, which responds using stored programme controlconfigured or modified by keyboard, USB etc inputs or swipe card. Theswipe card can store any personal custom configuration for theadjustment and regulation of frequency, load and other parameters suchas sensor sensitivity, number of repeat cycles to be done at eachsetting etc and store any results generated on the card as required ifswiped before quitting, perhaps even setting an adjusted programme for afuture visit.

The ROM memory contains the operating system and standard settings andprocess control information.

The RAM memory is used for storing operational parameters and other dataassociated with the micro operation during use as well as usuallytemporarily storing configuration and personal data uploaded from theswipe card during use including possibly billing information forequipment use sent out either via the networking port/wireless port etcto a central gym management data system.

The Flash/EEPROM memory is used to store patches uploaded from the reproport to correct or upgrade the operating system/process control code inthe event of errors or other need for modifications to the electroniccontrol systems.

The network port may be used to transfer realtime data to a central PCor other data store for tracking, billing or performance mapping ofeither the machine or individual users. This may be interactive suchthat changes to the behaviour of the machine may be directly effected ora new training configuration be downloaded to the swipe card for thenext usage session by that user.

It may also be arranged to provide random variation of the vibration.

It will be appreciated that any of the devices described with referenceto the accompanying FIGS. 8 to 25 may be employed in both stand alonestrength training devices and in equipment, such as gymnasium orphysiotherapy weight training equipment in which the weight or otherload is applied separately to the vibration facility.

In that respect, FIGS. 26 and 27 show similar embodiments of theinvention, one mounted in a weight training apparatus (FIG. 26) and theother (FIG. 27) as a stand alone device.

Thus the device illustrated in FIG. 26 is a weight training apparatus inwhich a frame 500 carries an adjustable weight block 501 and a pulley502 over which runs a metal rope 503 attached at one end to the weightblock 501 and at the other to a lever device (not shown) for operationby a user. Between the weight block 501 and the frame 500 is a vibrationgenerator in the form of a piston 504, hollow connecting rod 505,cylinder 506 and connecting rod base 507.

A pair of channels 508 communicate between both faces of the piston 504and there is a pair of solenoid valves 509 arranged for controlling theflow in the channels 508. Electric leads 510 pass between the valves 509and a junction 511 in the base 507. Electricity supply is derived at 512and controlled at the control panel 513, which also provides a displayof operating conditions.

The fluid in the cylinder being gas a cock 514 is provided by which thegas can be pressurized to 4.5 bar.

When the weights 501 are lifted and the solenoid valves 509 powered flowfrom one face of the piston 504 to the other is interrupted continuouslyand a vibration imparted to the rope 503. There being the two solenoidvalves 509, the piston cylinder arrangement can be switched to eithersimple vibration mode or pseudo random mode.

The device illustrated in FIG. 27 comprises a closed cylinder 600 havinga base 600 a and in which slides a piston 601. The piston is mountedrigidly on a hollow connecting rod 602 which emerges from the cylinder600 and to which is rigidly mounted a handle 603. A rod 604 is rigidlyattached to the cylinder base 600 a enter and run in the hollow of theconnecting rod 602. The rod 604 has a helix formed thereon. A disc 605is held to the piston 601 so as to be free to rotate with respectthereto. The disc 605 is mounted on the rod 604 in such a manner thatlongitudinal movement of the piston 601 with respect to the rod 604 willcause the disc 605 to rotate. The disc 605 is of smaller diameter thanthe piston 601. Channels 606 provided with non-return valves 606 a passthrough the piston 601 outboard of the disc 605 to permit a continuousbut restricted fluid flow therethrough in a compression direction andfree flow therethrough in a tensile direction. Channels 607 through thepiston 601 inboard of the circumference of the disc 605 are arranged toalign intermittently with channels 608 through the disc 605. A plug 609in the handle 603 enables charging the cylinder 600 with fluid andpressurizing same.

The rod 604 and the disc 605 are made or coated with a low frictionmaterial such as PTFE or nylon. Typically the angle of the helix to theaxis of the rod 604 is 8°.

In operation of the device illustrated in FIG. 27, when fully chargedwith fluid, a compressive force between the handle 603 and the base 600a of the cylinder 600 moves the piston/disc 601/605 assembly toward thebase 600 a, the resistive load depending upon the size of the channels606. This movement causes rotation of the disc 605 with respect to thepiston 601, intermittently aligning the channels 607 and 608 and therebycreating an intermittent resistance to the compressive movement. Whenreturning the apparatus to fully extended the non-return valves 606 aopen to permit relatively unrestricted fluid flow through the channels606.

If adjustability were to be required of a device such as thatillustrated in FIG. 27, this may the most simply be obtained via anadjustable valve in a channel connecting both ends of the cylinder 600and exterior thereto, unless remote controlled valves were installed inthe piston 601 somewhat as illustrated in FIG. 26.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,770 (Baker) discusses various categories of exercisedevices used for muscular development.

Isokinetic devices regulate or control the rate of muscular contractionregardless of the force applied to the device by a user's muscularcontraction. For example, in an isokinetic device where a weight isattached to a bar and where the user initiates actions with the bar, theisokinetic device only regulates the speed of the movement of the bar.U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,532 teaches the use of a centrifugal brake toincrease movement resistance as the velocity of the exercise bar isincreased above some preset value. U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,480 teaches theuse of a centrifugally regulated frictional resistance device to controlthe speed of a treadmill regardless of the amount of force exerted bythe user.

Another class of devices provide for positive only non-eccentricallyloaded use. These devices provide for the regulation of the resistanceforce against the user, only when the bar is moving, but do not controlthe bar speed during the exercise, such as when a muscle contractsduring a positive exercise. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,676 teachesthe use of a computer controlled valve to regulate the internal pressureof a hydraulic cylinder connected to the exercise bar. U.S. Pat. No.4,609,190 teaches the use of a double acting hydraulic cylinder with anassorted control valve for each cylinder to resist the exercise barmovement by providing a different resisting force for resistingmovement. However, most of these hydraulic devices provide for positiveexercise only.

Whereas many of these positive only exercise devices utilize a hydrauliccylinder to vary the resistance force, some machines use an electricallycontrolled friction brake which is typically coupled between theexercise bar and the user. The resisting force is varied by the amountof friction applied to a rotating member on the exercise bar. U.S. Pat.No. 4,261,562 teaches the use of a DC generator as a variable forceresistance device in which the electrical loading coupled to thegenerator is varied. U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,726 also utilizes a hydrauliccylinder and having an electronically controlled valve to vary theresistance force.

A third category of exercise devices deals with positive and negativestroke operating devices. This category contains a wide variety ofmechanical, electronic, and electro-mechanical devices to provideexercise in both positive and negative directions. For example, U.S.Pat. No. 3,858,873 provides for a use of a spiral cam coupled betweenthe exercise bar and a stack of metal weights to provide an increasingforce during a positive exercise stroke. U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,467 uses aspeed controlled motor in the negative stroke and a friction brake inthe positive stroke of an exercise. U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,518 utilizes avariable torque transmitting clutch for both positive and negativestroke control. U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,437 teaches the use of a hydraulicpump and electrically controlled valves to vary the force or the speedof positive and negative strokes.

Although various exercise devices are described above in relation to anumber of example exercise categories, most of these devices stress aparticular type of exercise for achieving maximum muscle development. Itis generally known that maximum isolation of a given muscle by aparticular exercise device produces the greatest amount of strengthincrease during exercise. Secondly, because the strength of the musclevaries, depending on its degree of contraction, and because the amountof force that the muscle can apply varies by the bone-joint angle, theresisting force must vary as a function of the contraction of the muscleto attain maximal strength gained during the exercise.

The various exercise devices described above, although based on variousexercise theories, provide for muscular development by providing aresistive force to a contracting muscle. Muscle contraction can begenerally classified as being concentric, isometric, or eccentric.Concentric contraction refers to a situation of the muscle when itshortens its length. A simple example of concentric contraction is whena weight is lifted from a rest position. Because the weight isaccelerated from its initial position, positive work is achieved as thecontracting muscle expends energy in lifting the weight. This isreferred to as positive exercise.

Isometric contraction occurs when two forces are at equilibrium so thatmovement cannot occur. Although work is not performed, the muscle undercontraction still expends energy in counteracting the other force.Isometric contraction provides for a holding exercise, which is neitherpositive or negative. A third type of contraction is eccentriccontraction. A simple example is the lowering of a weight to its restposition. In eccentric contraction, the weight is decelerated and thetotal work performed is negative because the muscle absorbs energy indecelerating the weight. Therefore negative exercise is performed byeccentric contraction. In eccentric contraction, muscle is lengthenedfrom its contracted or previously contracted position. That is, themuscle is being lengthened by a load or a force greater than themuscle's holding force.

In a concentric contraction exercise, positive strength is used in whichthe muscle is shortened against a force or resistance, such as inlifting a weight. In a concentric exercise system, also called apositive exercise system, an object is moved by the muscularcontraction, such as by lifting, so that it will cause the muscle toexpend energy and this energy is stored in the object. In this instance,the lifting force of the muscle must exceed the resistive force of theobject. When the force expended by the muscle equals the weight of theobject, this holding strength of the muscle provides the isometriccontraction. In an isometric contraction, no movement occurs but energyis expended by the muscle.

An eccentric exercise involving negative strength will occur when theforce exerted by the muscle is less than the resistive force of theobject, which was previously lifted. As the object is lowered, thepotential energy stored in the object is converted to kinetic energy andabsorbed by the muscle. The muscle lengthens from the previouslycontracted position. An eccentric exercise system is based on a forceovercoming a contracted muscle. That is, the force (weight) is greaterthan the muscle's holding force.

It is generally known that not only is the direction of exerciseimportant, but emphasis is placed on the type of resistive force (orload) opposing the muscle to be exercised. An eccentric load provides astretching or pulling force against the contracting muscle and can occurduring positive or negative exercise stroke. An eccentrically loadedexercise system is one in which an object moved by the muscularcontraction stores this energy, not merely dissipating it, that is theexercise system possesses potential energy which is available to do workon the contracted muscle whenever the muscle force becomes less than theforce supplied by the exercise machine.

In actual life, the combination of eccentric and concentric contractionsoperate together, such as when lifting and lowering a weight. Further,the combination of eccentric and concentric contractions form a naturaltype of muscle function called a “stretch-shortening cycle”. Thestretch-shortening cycle allows the concentric contraction to take placewith greater force or power output, as compared to initiating a movementby concentric contraction alone. This phenomenon is believed to occurpartly due to the elastic nature of the muscle during and immediatelyafter the eccentric contraction. The lengthening of the contractedmuscle modifies the condition of the muscle such that the stretchedmuscle increases its tension and stores potential energy. Part of thisstored energy can be recovered provided that the concentric contractionoccurs rapidly after the eccentric contraction.

Further, in comparing negative exercise to positive exercise, negativeonly exercise produces at least as much, if not greater, muscle growththan positive only exercise. Strength increase of as much as 40% hasbeen documented by the use of negative exercise (Ettington Darden; TheNautilus Bodybuilding Book; Chapters 13-14; Contemporary Books, Inc;1982). Furthermore, the negative exercise provides other advantages,such as stretching for the improvement of flexibility; pre-stretchingfor high-intensity muscular contraction; resistance in the position offull contraction for full range exercise; and maximum application ofresistance throughout a full range of possible movement.

Muscles can generate more force eccentrically than concentrically,whilst superimposed vibration enables a user to lift a smaller weightthan would have been the case without vibration, the muscle respondingas if a much heavier weight had been lifted. This means that an exercisemachine can be somewhat safer, with less risk of injury, whensuperimposed vibration is incorporated, merely because lighter weightscan be employed. Additionally, imposing a vibration during an eccentricphase can have greater effects than during the concentric phase forstimulation of the neuromuscular system, leading to greater trainingadaptations, i.e. strength. This can all be particularly important inuse by rehabilitation, elderly and clinical populations where only smallweights can be lifted. From a mechanical viewpoint additional vibrationstimulation can lead to a more efficient return of a weight to the restconfiguration.

Accordingly, providing an additional resistance and vibration during alowering, eccentric phase can be very beneficial for health andperformance. This has implications for injury prevention and recovery,clinical populations and sports performance.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 28 comprises a double ended cylinder 800, apiston 801 therein associated with a shaft 802, a hydraulic fluidconduit 803 connected into both ends of the cylinder 800, a rotary valve804 having a valve core 804 a and sited in the conduit 803 and driven bya motor 805, a motor variable speed control 806 and a bleed valve/fillerpoint 807 arranged for loading the circuit with hydraulic fluid andbleeding air from the conduit 803. There is accordingly a closed circuitfilled with fluid—typically a conventional glycol, silicone or othersimilar liquid based hydraulic fluid. The fluid flow is thereforeinterrupted by the rotation of the valve core 804 a as the ports arecyclically revealed and closed.

The electric motor 805 provides mechanical rotation to the valve core,the rotational speed being controlled by variable speed control 306.

A preferred embodiment employs a stepper motor as the electric motor 805with the speed controller switching coils of the stepper motor providingan accurate and controlled rate of rotational speed proportional to thefrequency of the power signals applied to the stepper motor field coils,the number of field coils and the number of poles in the rotor.

Other motors and control means are possible.

The variable speed control 806 can be pre-set at manufacture, set for aparticular training session type or machine type, set for a particulartraining regime associated with a user exercise profile and beinteractive depending on feedback sensors measuring such parameters asapplied force, load—e.g. weights—setting, rate of work, time duration ofexercise or other appropriate measured individual user exercise ormachine parameters.

A preferred embodiment of the speed controller 806 employs amicroprocessor based electronic hardware and software solution tomachine control that permits the described interactive system to respondin real-time to user and sensor inputs. The system may employ anembedded microcontroller or a PC based solution, with a softwareapplication providing user or system manager programming through asoftware user interface, interaction and response depending on user andsensor inputs and stored programme control.

Specific embodiment forms are envisaged such that variants of thisvibrational load system may be retro-fitted to a plurality of currentgym load-training equipment or be incorporated into new-design systemsemploying essentially current product forms as well as completely newmechanisms designed to specifically exploit the specific attributes ofvibrational training.

The shaft 802 is directly or indirectly coupled to the mechanism of gymequipment including normal weights or other forms of load applicationretained through cables, linkage mechanisms, gears or other establishedmeans.

When a user moves a weight on a weights machine or performs othersimilar load stressing, the muscle group involved recruits muscle fibreto perform the work, dropping fibres as they become exhausted andrecruiting further muscle in replacement over time. Typically only aproportion of the muscle fibre is engaged at any one time, thus it takessome time to exercise all of the muscle group one wishes to strengthen.

The “tendon-tap” response is a well known physiological behaviourwhereby frequent cyclical application and removal of a small load cannotbe distinguished from a continuously increasing load. The body respondsby continuing to recruit muscle for as long as the cyclical load isapplied. The application of vibration in this invention accordinglyallows more rapid recruitment and exercise of the majority of a musclegroup compared to conventional training means. Also, as the majority ofmuscle in any target group in engaged, the likelihood of muscle damagethrough over-work is minimized and greater weight or frictional loadsmay be applied.

In this embodiment the user works against a normal load such as liftinga weight or working against a frictional load mechanism. This engagesmuscle fibre from the specific target muscle group or groups involved.In addition, the user is attempting to move the piston 801 through thecylinder 800. When rotary valve 804 with valve core 804 a is open thisaction displaces fluid around the circuit to fill the opposite chamberof the cylinder with little or no appreciable level of resistance.However, when the valve core 804 a has rotated to close the valve portsthe user is attempting to compress an essentially incompressible fluidand perceives a reactive load directly proportional to that applied bythe user in attempting to create further motion.

As the valve core 804 a is rotating and the ports are cyclically openedand closed the user perceives an alternating resistance to motion whichinvokes the tendon-tap response by their body, recruiting greaterpercentages of muscle fibre compared to conventional weights or otherlinear load application methods.

The frequency of the perceived resistance with a simple on-axis rotatingvalve core 804 a (as shown) will be at double the rotational frequencyof the valve core. More cross ports in the valve core willproportionally increase the effective resistance frequency while anoffset valve core configured as shown in figure will present a 1:1relationship between the valve-core rotational speed and perceived loadfrequency.

An efficacious applied load frequency has been determined by experimentto be between 1 Hz and 100 Hz but is preferably between 15 Hz and 50 Hz.As the human body increasingly dampens the amplitude of the load appliedas the frequency increases, it becomes progressively harder to translatea reactive force at >>35 Hz. However, below about 10 Hz the tendon tapresponse fails to occur due to the normal repeat speed of neurologicalsignalling within the human body. The load application mechanism alsocreates some damping such that the stiffer the mechanism between theuser and the piston, the more force will be effected.

The described system operates through frequency modulation of theapplied load. The amplitude of the load, with the noted caveats aboutdamping factors, is also determined by how fast and hard the userattempts to operate the machine.

Conventional known frictional and load application methods are amplitudemodulated through either variable weights, variable leverage ratios,variable fluid flow apertures or variable frictional control mechanisms.

Various modifications to the embodiment described with reference to FIG.28 may be envisaged. For example, as shown in FIG. 29, a releasemechanism comprising a one-way valve 810 bypasses the cylinder 800 suchthat in a typical weights machine configuration, the vibration systemonly applies a load in the lift direction and allows free descent of thepiston and thence the operating lever, in the weight “falling”direction.

In the orientation shown in FIG. 29 the one-way valve is shut when theoperating rod 802 moves the piston 801 UP forcing fluid through therotary valve 804. However when the operating rod 802 is moved DOWN thefluid flow reverses and bypasses the rotary valve 4 through the one wayvalve 810.

When connected to the mechanism of exercise equipment—typically a legextension machine—the expected configuration would be such that whenlifting a weight or working against a spring load or other resistivemeans the operating rod 802 moves UP in the orientation shown in thediagram providing the described pulsing additional load, whilst whenlowering the weight the one way valve 810 operates and permits freerelease of the weights and mechanism allowing to return to its startposition without significant resistance.

Several rotary valves operating in parallel at different constantfrequencies to create specific harmonic frequencies, or to createsynthesised approximations to square wave, sine wave, sawtooth wave orother pulse shapes through addition techniques or pseudo randomfrequencies through frequency modulation of the valve speeds.

An in-circuit variable aperture valve is possible to set the level offluid flow resistance controlling the amplitude of the vibratoryreaction force.

Computer or microcontroller management or a combination thereof is alsopossible to create sophisticated FM and AM load control.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 30 comprises the cylinder 800 andpiston 801 and shaft 802, the conduits 803, the rotary valve 804 (andthe filler/bleed 807—not shown), and the one way valve 810, togetherwith an hydraulic pump 811 and a pressure switch 812. In this instancethe pump 811 and the one way valve 810 are in series with the rotaryvalve 804 and in parallel with each other.

In the orientation shown in FIG. 30, as the operating rod 802 is movedUP and the piston 801 displaces fluid from the top of the cylinder 800it will flow through the one way valve 810 and be subject to pulsedinterruptions effected by the rotary valve 804.

In one embodiment of the system illustrated in FIG. 30 the rotary pump811 is continuously pushing fluid in a clockwise loop also passingthrough the one way valve 810 and does not essentially disrupt or affectthe flow of fluid from the cylinder 800 through the rotary valve 804 andthence to the lower part of the cylinder 800 completing the fluidcircuit and introducing the previously described pulsed load.

However on the downward stroke of the operating lever 802 and the piston801, fluid flow in the main circuit is reversed, passing from the lowerpart of the cylinder 800, through the rotary valve 804 until it reachesthe valve side junction of the rotary pump 811 and the one way valve 810and is pumped by the rotary pump 811. If the pump flow rate is sethigher than the natural unaided return flow rate a positive pressurewill be felt by the user moderated by the pulsing caused by the rotaryvalve 804.

In another embodiment of the system illustrated in FIG. 30, to preventany flow issues in the one way valve 810 and the rotary pump 811 fluidcircuits, the pump 811 may be switched OFF when the piston 801 is on theUP stroke and flowing through the one way valve 810. While this isoccurring there will be a NEGATIVE pressure below the piston. Uponlowering the operating rod 802 and hence the piston 801 a POSITIVEpressure will be generated below the piston 801 that may be used to turnon the pressure operated switch 812 in this arm of the fluid circuitthat may be used to turn ON the rotary pump 811 to generate an excessdownwards force on the piston 801, moderated by the pulsing effect ofthe rotary valve 804.

To effect an additional force on the downward stroke of thepiston/operating rod in circuit configurations of a similar nature tothose shown in particular in FIG. 30 one discriminates between flowdirections and pressures within the circuit in order to employ specificcomponents that may create excess pressure and enhance flow only on thedownward stroke. Typically the apparatus applies up to a 120% increasein the load during the eccentric part of a weight lifting cycle,preferably 50-120%.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 30 as just above described two elementsare potentially used:

1. A one way valve 810 that discriminates fluid flow directions—andhence operational—flow DIRECTION to create different circuit forces onthe piston 801 and hence on the operating rod 802 and user exercisemechanism dependent on user interaction with these component parts. Therotary pump 811 is allowed to continue rotating at all times, but isprovided with a circular fluid flow route to prevent this creatingforces at the wrong time. The balance of fluid flows may however proveto be difficult to control to a satisfactory level of accuracy with sucha simple system.2. A second embodiment that combines the first embodiment describedabove with a pressure switch 812 that detects the pressure changeassociated with a reversal of the equipment operation solves some ofthese issues by turning off the rotary pump 811 when not required—forexample for the UP stroke and on again when on the down stroke.

It is then obvious to one skilled in the art that enhanced controloptions may be effected by replacement of the pressure switch with apressure transducer and that would allow proportional control of thepump and hence more precise control of the system.

Other sensors such as fluid flow sensors may be employed to detectadditional parameters to facilitate more sophisticated control means.

Embedded Microprocessor or PC systems may be employed to provide complexsoftware management of the system performance and interactive controlmeans.

The system illustrated in FIG. 31 is similar to that of FIG. 30 butcontains a flow control valve 813 to adjust the amount of permissiblebypass fluid compared to flow into the top of the cylinder 800. Controlof the valve 813 may be preset or interactive, typically triggered by apressure switch 812 and through a control algorithm running on amicroprocessor controller device (not shown) to give more sophisticatedinteractive control, typically using an analogue pressure sensor inplace of the switch 812. This embodiment, therefore, permits fineadjustment of the fluid flow paths and hence the delivered forceexperienced by the user on the downward stroke of the piston 801.

The system illustrated in FIG. 32 represents a yet further development,taking as its starting point the system illustrated in FIG. 31, withlike numbers representing the same elements. However also incorporatedin the hydraulic circuit is a flow sensor 814. The figure alsoillustrates items which are also likely to be associated with thesystems illustrated in FIGS. 29-31, namely a pivoted lever 820associated with the shaft 802, a cable 821 and pulley system 822 andweights 823, an input/output (I/O) level and power interface 824 and auser interface and display 825. The I/O level and power device 824interfaces between the motorised valves 813, pump 811, rotary valve 804(outputs) and flow 814 and pressure 812 sensors (inputs) to the uP(computer) system containing system firmware, operational software withany algorithms controlling hardware interactions under program controland interactions with the user entered through a User Interface (UI).This enables real-time interactions as well as pre-programmedperformance characteristics.

Via the User Interface and display 825 the user can select operatingmodes such as:

-   -   Resistance in up and down activation modes    -   Vibration frequency in up and down vibration modes    -   Pressure and Flow threshold trigger or mapping between applied        load (user) and the machine

In the systems illustrated in FIGS. 33 and 34 the system of actualweights is replaced by a compressible system, particularly a gas system.

Referring to FIG. 33, when the lever 850 is moved DOWN the piston rod851 attached to the piston 852 is moved up in the cylinder 853displacing fluid 854 through the rotary valve 855 driven by the motor856 that creates a cyclical checking force at it rotates and presents anopen then closed port to the fluid 854. The fluid 854 then passesthrough a variable flow control valve 857 that provides a controllableresistance to flow that the user must work against and thence through aone way valve 858 into the top chamber 859 of a pressure vessel 860. Theincreased volume of fluid displaces the moveable separator 861,typically a sliding piston or diaphragm, to compress a compressiblemedium, typically air or nitrogen gas or a mechanical spring oralternatively a lifted weight or other mechanical configuration storingenergy.

A vent 862 is provided under the piston to permit free motion withoutdevelopment of over or under pressures beneath the piston 852.

Applied pressure may pass back through the one way valve 863 andvariable flow control valve 864 but fluid flow is checked by the upwardmotion of the piston 852 and forward flow of fluid induced by the forcecreated by the user at the lever 850.

When the user stops moving the lever 850 DOWN there is an over-pressurein the compressible medium contained in lower chamber 865 of thepressure vessel 860 that displaces the moveable separator 861 UP movingfluid from the upper chamber 859 through the one way valve 863 and thevariable flow control valve 864 via the rotary valve 855 that provides asimilar alternating cyclical flow characteristic to that provided duringthe previously described downward motion of the Lever 1. Thus the piston852 is pushed DOWN and the user must work against this force as thelever returns upwards to its original position.

FIG. 33 shows separate variable flow control valves 857 and 864 in thetwo halves of the circuit such that in co-operation with the one wayvalves 858 and 863 different flow resistances may be set for eachdirection of lever travel thus varying the imposed load on the user.

The benefits of this system over conventional physical training devicesare:

-   -   The fluid flow resistances may be easily altered to suit        different users and training regimes;    -   The upward and downward strokes of the machine may be altered to        provide differing perceived loads to provide an enhanced        symmetrical training effect on the loaded muscle groups;    -   The vibrational component introduced by the provision of a motor        driven rotary valve 855 enhances the training effect and muscle        recruitment as described above.

Referring to FIG. 34 the configuration is generally the same as in FIG.33 but a slide valve 870 has been substituted for the two one way valves858, 863.

In this embodiment, downward motion of the lever 850 moves the piston852 upwards in the cylinder 853 displacing fluid 854 through the rotaryvalve 855 driven by the motor 856 thus inducing a cyclical checkingforce to the fluid flow, perceived by the user as a vibratory load. Inthe phase of operation shown in FIG. 34 fluid may pass through the uppervalve port 871 of the slide valve 870 due to the position of the SlideValve Core 872.

The variable flow control valve 857 restricts fluid flow in this part ofthe circuit relating to an upward stroke of the piston 852 and may becontrolled to provide a variable perceived resistance to motion in thisdirection at the lever 850.

Fluid is then forced into the pressure vessel 860 upper chamber 859,displacing the moveable separator 861 and thus compressing thecompressible medium in the lower chamber 865. However, in thisembodiment, pressure is not transmitted back to the user through thevariable flow control valve 864 but is checked by the closed lower valveport 873 of the slide valve 870.

When the piston 852 reaches the top of its stroke it strikes the upperoperating rod 874 that moves the slide valve core 872 via the upperlinkage 875 and the upper valve linkage 876. This closes the upper valveport 871 and opens the lower valve port 873 enabling fluid flow from thepressure vessel 860 upper chamber 859 through the variable flow controlvalve 864, driven by the stored pressure in the compressible medium inthe lower chamber 865 and transmitted through the moveable separator861. The returning displaced fluid passes through the rotary valve 855driven by the motor 856 to provide a vibratory checking effect anddownward force on the piston 852.

It will be noted that as the lower linkage 877 and the upper linkage 875are connected to the slide valve core through the lower valve linkage878 and the valve upper linkage 876 respectively the changing of theslide valve core 872 position through the piston 852 striking the upperoperating rod 874 also moves the lower linkage 877 and thus the loweroperating rod 879, moving this into the cylinder 853.

When the piston 852 reaches the bottom of its stroke it strikes theprojecting tip of the operating rod 879 resetting the system to itsoriginal configuration as shown in FIG. 34, resetting the slide valve872 to allow recharging of the pressure vessel 860 by means describedabove.

An advantage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 34 compared to that of FIG.33 is that the back pressure, and therefore the loads, perceived by theuser in either of the two main states of the machine, being dictated bythe position of the slide valve 872 such that the variable flow controlvalves 857 and 864 do not interact at any phase of the operation, may bemore precisely controlled for optimal load conditions applied to theuser.

Pressure and flow sensors, motorised control valves and variable motorspeed controls may be substituted for manual control and a fixed speedrotary valve motor to permit interactive control by a microprocessorsystem and software algorithm to provide fine-control over each phase ofthe system operation including parameters such as:

-   -   Flow Resistance    -   Flow Rate    -   Vibration Frequency

To one skilled in the art, additional features may be envisaged such asa safety pressure release valve fitted to the lower chamber 865 of thepressure vessel 860, a variable volume lower chamber 865 set by anadditional moveable piston or diaphragm arrangement to control theamount of stored energy in the pressure vessel and the relationshipbetween the fluid volume and the compressible medium volume if a gas isemployed, a microprocessor and software or mechanically controlledvariable linkage to a weights or spring mechanism. Similarly theoperating rods 874 and 879 may be replaced by Hall Effect sensorstriggered by magnets in the piston 852 associated with amplifiers or byother sensor and valve operation means to open and close a pair ofsolenoid or other electrically driven valves in place of the slide valve872 and relating to the position of the piston 852 and these may beincorporated into a control system operated by a microprocessoremploying a software control algorithm.

As described above with reference to FIG. 25 the systems described withreference to FIGS. 28 to 34 may be programmed to be adaptable to aspecific training regime and store and modify the program automaticallyaccording to the performance of the user as detected by the fittedsystem sensors.

1-49. (canceled)
 50. A muscle training apparatus arranged for cyclicconcentric and eccentric loading phases and comprising: load impositionmeans arranged for a user to exercise against; load variation meansarranged for varying the load as between concentric and eccentricloading phases; a vibrator operational to apply vibration between theuser and the load, and a controller operational to control the vibratorand to vary the extent of vibration as between concentric and eccentricphases.
 51. A muscle training apparatus arranged for cyclic concentricand eccentric loading phases and comprising: load imposition meansoperational to impose a load upon muscles of a user; and an hydraulicsystem operational to increase the imposed load during the eccentricphase.
 52. A muscle training apparatus as claimed in claim 50 andfurther comprising an hydraulic piston/cylinder arrangementoperationally interposed between a user and the load imposition means.53. A muscle training apparatus as claimed in claim 51 and furthercomprising an hydraulic piston/cylinder arrangement operationallyinterposed between a user and the load imposition means.
 54. A muscletraining apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and operational to impose anincrease during the eccentric phase of up to 120% of the load moved inthe concentric phase.
 55. A muscle training apparatus as claimed inclaim 51 and operational to impose an increase during the eccentricphase of up to 120% of the load moved in the concentric phase.
 56. Amuscle training apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and wherein thevibration frequency is from 1 Hz to 100 Hz.
 57. A muscle trainingapparatus as claimed in claim 50 and wherein the vibrator is a rotaryvalve.
 58. A muscle training apparatus as claimed in claim 50 andwherein the vibration variation control is operational to vary thevibration randomly.
 59. Apparatus as claimed in claim 52 and having ableed through said piston.
 60. Apparatus a claimed in claim 52 andfurther comprising a non-return valve enabling a different resistance tobe obtained as between tensile and compression movement.
 61. Apparatusas claimed in claim 52 and further comprising a pressure relief valvelocated in said piston.
 62. Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 andarranged to load the user in both directions, push and pull, compressionand tension.
 63. Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and which is portablefor use in one hand or between a user's two hands for arm strengtheningand “chest expanding”.
 64. Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and equippedwith an indicator of the load being applied.
 65. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 50 and further comprising a non-return valve arranged to enablethe load to differ as between the two directions.
 66. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 65 and further comprising a control cock arranged toblock or open said non-return valve and convert the apparatus betweenunidirectional and bi-directional strength training.
 67. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 50 and wherein said vibrator comprises a solenoidvalve.
 68. Apparatus as claimed in claim 57 and wherein said rotaryvalve comprises (i) a housing containing a fluid flow path with acentral axis, (ii) a plug having a sealing face cooperating with saidhousing in the closed position to block the fluid path, and (iii) asupport shaft arranged to carry said plug means and being rotatable onan axis which is normal to and spaced from the axis of said valve seatand located outside of the flow path so that rotation of the said shaftmoves said plug means relative to said housing.
 69. Apparatus as claimedin claim 57 and wherein said valve is arranged to permit a smallthroughput of fluid therethrough when the valve is ostensibly closed.70. Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and which is a muscle strengtheningapparatus having a bar arranged for bearing upon the lower part of auser's shins whereby the user moves said bar against an adjustableweight.
 71. Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and wherein said vibrationis arranged to be aligned with the direction of loading.
 72. Apparatusas claimed in claim 50 and wherein the direction of vibration isadjustable.
 73. Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and further comprisinga data entry device arranged for programming the operation thereof. 74.Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 and further comprising a readout devicearranged for indicating the weight and/or vibration applied and theamplitude of apparatus expansion or compression.
 75. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 53 and wherein said vibration facility comprises a rodcarrying a helix and a disc held to said piston and mounted on said rodso that movement of said piston along said cylinder causes said disc torotate, there being channels through said piston and said disc which arethereby intermittently aligned.
 76. An exercise apparatus comprising:resistance means arranged to provide adjustable resistance to a movementby a user; vibration means arranged to impart a vibration to the user'smuscle or muscle group being exercised; an input device arranged forconverting an input signal into controls for said resistance means andsaid vibration means; an output device arranged to provide an indicationof the program completed; and wherein said vibration means comprises apiston, connecting rod and cylinder arrangement and a fluid flowconnection between both sides of the piston and at least one valveinterposed in said fluid flow and arranged for intermittent opening andclosing at a frequency between 1 Hz and 100 Hz; and said resistancemeans is selected from free weights, a weight machine, a springresistance, an hydraulic resistance and a pneumatic resistance.